


Claude's Moving Castle

by heartofitalia



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Howl's Moving Castle Fusion, Alternate Universe - Twins, Dimitri won't show up until the very end tbh, F/M, Female My Unit | Byleth, I owe a personal apology to manuela now tbh, My Unit | Byleth Twins, Romance, also byleth has a thing for chocolate chip cookies and I thought it important to let you know that, also tbh I can't wait to write Claude and Lysithea as the sibling duo I know them to be, if I get to three chapters we consider that a win, oh wait more tags hold on, slow updates bcos why would I ever move fast, this is really just an excuse for me to write byleth and claude with some magic fluff, with some magic fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23680129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartofitalia/pseuds/heartofitalia
Summary: Life for Byleth was...simple. Boring, but simple. That is, until a strange man helps her away from some sketchy guards in a back alley. As payment for this? She's been turned into an old lady by a jealous witch.In an act of desperation she leaves her home to find a way to break her curse and stumbles into the castle of the most notorious wizard in the kingdom - Claude von Riegan.Now Byleth needs to find a way to break the curse on her, help Claude, and keep his apprentice from burning down the castle. Easy.(aka the Howl's Moving Castle!AU no one but me asked for so it exists)
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril & Claude von Riegan, Hilda Valentine Goneril & My Unit | Byleth, Minor or Background Relationship(s), My Unit | Byleth & Lysithea von Ordelia, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 20





	Claude's Moving Castle

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello hello! 
> 
> So....I had this idea months ago when I finished Three Houses for the first time. Then life got in the way. Then the country went on lockdown so I have plenty of time to write. 
> 
> Anywaaaaay. Early apology for any spelling/grammar mistakes. It's currently 3:11am and I want to post this before I don't. 
> 
> (Also? General disclamer - I don't own Three Houses or Howl's Moving Castle. But I enjoy both of them sooooo ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯)
> 
> Enjoy!!!!

Byleth couldn’t help the sigh of frustration as the room rumbled around her, messing up her stitching. She cast a glare out the window at the train rolling by. She couldn’t help but be annoyed by it. It rolled by every day, shaking the house and ruining her stitching.

She sighed as the smoke rolled against the window. She put the hat she was working on down, knowing continuing would be a lost cause until the train finished rolling by. The only good thing, she supposed, was that it gave her a moment to collect herself. A glance at the clock showed that it was almost closing time.

Really, she supposed she should have known that. Even though she had her radio playing, it wasn’t so loud that she couldn’t hear the girls in the other room. Not that she really cared that much. She wasn’t particularly close with them, preferring her small room and radio.

The train was gone now and Byleth was happy to pick up her work again. Between the afternoon sun and soft music Byleth was content. She just needed to finish this hat and then she was going to go meet her brother in the city.

The train was gone so she went back to her hat. She had put some small fake cherries together and had to sew them on now. She was focused, trying to finish before the trolley.

The knock at the door had her sighing in irritation. “Byleth dear, we just finished up. Why don’t you come out with us tonight?” The manager asked, her voice soft and kind.

Byleth didn’t even look up. It took her a moment to remember that she was probably supposed to respond. “I’m fine, thank you.” She said, not looking up from her work.

“Come on Miss! Leave her! She never comes out with us.” One of the girls said from the other room. Byleth cast a glance over, in time to see the Manager turn to reprimand the girl. Whatever she was going to say was drowned out by a shriek from another girl.

“It’s the castle!” She screeched. All the girls ran to the window, and even Byleth looked up to see. Far across the town, in the wastes was a hunk of metal moving through the fogs.

“Do we think he’s come to town?”

“If he does you’ll have nothing to worry about. Claude only takes the hearts of pretty girls.”

“Hey!” There was the sound of laughter and running from the other room.

“Girls! Be careful!” The manager sighed. “Alright. Good night Byleth.”

“Goodnight.” She had already gone back to her work.

It didn’t take much longer for Byleth to finish with her work. It was amazing, she thought, what could happen when she wasn’t being bothered. She sighed again, looking at the hat before she let it drop onto the table. It was fine, it would sell for a nice price, and that’s really all that mattered at the end of the day. Really, she had more important things to be doing.

She stood, shut off the radio, and headed downstairs. She made sure the doors were locked before she went into the hat shop proper.

It was always odd to see the shop so empty. It was a nice shop. Or at least Byleth thought so. It was painted a nice pastel blue, with beautiful flowers in vases all around. Someone had taken the time to prepare for tomorrow, placing new hats on all the wire frames.

Byleth paid it all little mind though. She was more focused on grabbing her coat from the closet. She put it on and admired herself in the mirror for a moment. The coat had been a bit on the pricey side, but she and Beleth had saved up to buy the matching coats. But they looked nice, and the black matched the rest of her black clothing.

But she was wasting time. A glance at the clock showed that the trolley would be leaving soon. She hurried out the door, making sure to lock it behind her, and hurried to the trolley. It was a walk, over the train tracks and through to the edge of town. She literally had to jump onto the trolley, earning a dirty look from the conductor. But she wasn’t forced off so she assumed it was fine.

She leans against the doorway of the trolley, staying quiet and out of the way. She didn’t know these people, and they didn’t know her, so she felt no need to try and make conversation with them. So she continued to lean there until they came to a stop in the city. She quickly hopped off the trolley and made her way into the city.

She wasn’t paying attention as she walked, as she knew her way to the bakery by heart. Therefore she was surprised when she walked into someone’s back. The person turned and gave her a dirty look. She gave him a quick apology. All he did was huff and turn back.

Byleth couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Rude people.

She looked around and realized that she seemed to have walked into something. There was a parade of some sort going on. Soldiers were marching, people were chilling, and confetti was everywhere.

Yeah…she wasn’t having any of this. She turned and headed down a side street. She could probably find her way to the bakery through the backways she reasoned. After all, how hard could it be.

She soon found that no, she wasn’t going to be able to get the bakery through the back way. She had quickly gotten lost and was now stumbling around the back alleys. She had somewhat managed to orient herself by finding the main road – and that damned parade – again, but now she had lost it again.

She sighed in frustration, kicking a rock as she walked. She was in a mood now, upset at the slow progress she was making. That and there were soldiers everywhere in the back alleys. She knew why they were here - to help make people feel safe. But still. They made her feel nervous.

Speaking of which, Byleth’s luck seemed to be turning even worse. She rounded a corner and come face to face with two soldiers. She hoped that she would be able to get by them without any incident.

Luck wasn’t on her side. They two quickly noticed her. They both turned to look at her, the one on the right leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face. “Well well look here. We found a little mouse.”

The one on the left, who, Byleth noticed had a rather impressive handlebar mustache, looked her over. “She’s rather cute for a mouse.”

“She is. Where are you going little mouse?”

“Past you hopefully.” She said, as monotone as possible. She tried to step around them and was stopped.

“Come on now. We’re just asking some questions.” Right guard said. “Maybe we can escort you? You look thirsty, how about we go get some tea hm?”

“No thank you.” Anger was starting to seep into her voice.

The guard laughed. “I think your mustache scares her.” He said, elbowing his friend. She couldn’t help but give him a flat look. Could he not tell that she was starting to get annoyed with them?

“She looks cute when she’s scared.” Mustache said. Byleth’s hand curled into a fist. She was tired of these fools.

Before she could do anything there was a soft hand on her shoulder. “There you are. I was looking everywhere for you.”

Byleth looked up in surprise. The man standing over her was handsome. Taller then her, with a nice jaw and mischief filled green eyes. His tan skin should have contrasted with his sandy blond hair, but somehow he pulled it off.

He must have noticed her staring because he gave her a wink.

No, she defiantly wasn’t blushing.

“Hey! What do you want?” Oh yeah, the guards were still there. Her flat look was back as she looked at them.

“Weren’t you two heading on your way?” The man asked.

The hand lifted from her shoulder. She watched as the guards straightened up and marched off, protesting all the while.

His hand was back on her shoulder. “Don’t hold it against them.” She looked back up at him. He gave her another wink. “Where too? I’ll be your escort for the evening.”

Byleth studied him for a moment, considering. He was a wizard, obviously by his little display of magic. But still, she wasn’t sure if she wanted some strange wizard to escort her anywhere. Although it wasn’t like she lived at the bakery….

“The blue lion bakery.” She answered finally. She would let Beleth deal with any possible fall out from this. Besides, she was very lost.

“Perfect.” He held out his arm and she took it. “By the way, I’m being followed. Act natural.” He gave her another wink and then they were off.

Byleth silently wondered how she managed to get herself into this mess. _‘This is why you don’t talk to strangers’_ she thought.

For a moment there was no sign of anything odd. There were still the sounds of the parade from the main road, but back in the alley all was quiet. She thought for a second he might have been lying, just to get a rise out of her. Then she heard it.

It sounded like something oozing. It was unnatural, wet, and she couldn’t help but turn to see what was going on behind her.

There were goo men coming out of the wall behind them. Part of her was terrified, but the other part was too amused by the fact that they were all wearing straw hats.

“Friends of yours?” She asked, turning back around.

“That may be a stretch. Sorry to involve you in this.”

She only graced him with a huff. She didn’t believe him for a moment.

She turned her eyes back to the road ahead. The goo men were coming out of the walls there also! Really, she couldn’t catch a break today.

The wizard lead her down another alleyway, away from the goo men. She could hear them sloshing into each other behind her. It was…honestly pretty gross. But she tried not to think about it too much as she was hurried along.

It seemed that even their turn didn’t stop the goo men. More were appearing in front of them. Part of her was panicked – they were surrounded. But another, smaller part told her that it would be fine, after all she was with a wizard. Unless of course he had planned all this. Wouldn’t that be a thing.

As it all turned out, the wizard did have a plan. “Hold on!” He exclaimed as he wrapped an arm around her waist. He sounded a bit excited, not that she could even begin to fathom why.

She didn’t even have a moment to think about it before she was pulled into the air. She yelled in surprise, but the wizard just laughed.

“Relax, straighten your legs and start walking.” He instructed in a soft, calm voice. Byleth couldn’t understand it. Byleth didn’t trust him at all. This felt false.

He took her hands. “Trust me.” He said again, in that same calm voice.

She was holding on to him tightly. She didn’t trust easily but really. Even if she didn’t have a choice.

She took a shaky breath as she uncurled a leg. The air underneath her felt spongy. She could feel the magic underneath her boot as she bounced off. She took another experimental step and again bounced.

A small, hysterical laugh escaped her. This was insane. But here she was, bouncing across the sky with a handsome wizard. No one was going to believe this.

“You’re a natural.” The wizard whispered in her ear.

She gave him a small smile. As the two of them bounced along the sky Byleth could feel her anxiety turning into absolute delight. The praise only helped her relax.

Part of her was amazed that no one noticed them. She could still hear the festivities below them. Laughter and music rose up from the festivities below.

All too soon the bakery was in sight. She felt slightly sad. She was enjoying this little jaunt across the skies.

The two of them floated onto the open balcony above the bakery. She was gracefully turned and landed on the balcony.

“I’ll draw them away, but wait a bit before going outside, ok?” He said, giving her a small smile.

“…Ok.”

She got a wink. “That’s my girl.” He said before jumping backwards and falling. Byleth gasped and ran towards the railing. For what reason, she didn’t know. He was already too far back to catch.

Not that it mattered. In the few seconds it took her to cross over to the railing he was gone. Whether he had managed to blend into the crowd or if he had actually vanished she didn’t know.

She sighed as she walked back and leaned against the railing. She brought a hand up to rub at her temple, another sigh falling from her lips. Gods, what a long day it had been.

She replayed the day’s events in her head, trying to figure out who she had wronged in a past life that she would deserve this fate. She was so caught up in her thoughts she almost missed the sounds of someone running up the stairs.

“By!” She looked up to see her brother standing in the door, still in his ridiculous cashier’s uniform. “You floated onto the roof? What the fuck?”

Byleth couldn’t help but stare at him. He looked so silly, in his pastel blue uniform with white stripes and the white bow tie. All at once the weight of the day caught up to him and she sunk against the wall with a laugh.

“So that did happen…it wasn’t a dream….fuck.”

Beleth sighed as he looked as his sister, shaking his head. “Come on. Let’s go sit somewhere away from prying eyes.”

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

Byleth was pretty sure cookies were the answer to everything. She was sitting on a box in the back of the bakery, Beleth besides her, and a plate of cookies between them. Honestly, Byleth had never been so happy to have a plate of cookies in her life. She was eating them as her brother digested her story.

“So…you’re telling me you ran into a man who saved you from some guards, then were chased by some blob monsters, took a stroll in the air, and that’s how you wound up floating onto our balcony?”

“Yep.” Another cooking went into her mouth. “These are good.”

“You know you met a wizard right?”

“Yes Beleth, I’m not stupid. But I’m here yes?”

There was another sigh. “You’re lucky to be here.” He must have seen her role her eyes because he continued. “Really By. If that was Claude he could have eaten your heart.”

Byleth snorted. “Really Bell? Really?”

“I’m serious By. It’s getting dangerous out there. Even the witch of the waste is back on the prowl…...Byleth, are you even listening to me.”

“I am listening. I’m just thinking.” She says, leaning back against the wall. “He was so nice….” Stars she sounded like a schoolgirl.

“You’re ridiculous. You’ve been working in that hat shop too long.” Beleth sighed and leaned back. “Are you ever going to leave there?”

“Yes, eventually.” Byleth just sighs. “I know, I know. The shop is just important to Uncle Alois. And I don’t want to abandon it after he took us in.”

“But you also can’t waste your entire life away in the hat shop.”

“I’m not! Can we please change the subject?” She asked, shoving a cookie in Beleth’s mouth. He coughed as he choked. “What about your secret admirer? Any sign of him?”

“Shut up.” He was bent over as he caught his break, still coughing a bit. “I think I have a chocolate chip in my lung.”

Byleth patted his back as he caught his breath. “Still no sign of him then?”

Beleth groaned. “No, not yet.” He said, sounding digected.

Byleth squeezed his hand. There had been a new face around the bakery in the last few month. A handsome man who Beleth liked to flirt with. And things had been going well, at least according to him. But suddenly the man had stopped showing up. “I’m sorry Bell.”

“Yeah well…what can you do?” He asked as the bell chimed the hour. “Well fuck. I guess that means you need to head back?”

“I suppose.”

It takes a moment for the two of them to get themselves set and ready to go. Before she leaves, Beleth places a small blue and white box into her hands. “Get home safe. And think about what I said ok?”

“Yes yes.” She said, turning to leave.

“I’m serious Byleth. Don’t waste your life away in that hat shop.”

“Goodbye Beleth~.” She waved over her shoulder.

><><><><><><><><><><><

Byleth sighed as she closed and locked the door to the flower shop. She loved going to see her brother, but the trip to see him was always too long. That and Byleth kept thinking about what Beleth said. She didn’t mind the shop, it was alright and gave her something to do. But she didn’t necessarily like it.

Well that was a problem for another day she figured. She pushed off the door and went about shutting down for the night. She had just gotten her coat off when the bell on the door chimed, signaling someone had entered the shop.

Byleth turned, confused. There in the doorway was a tall woman, wearing a large white coat and a dark blue that, if the slits were any higher, would be a robe itself.

“Excuse me ma’am, I’m sorry the shop is closed.” Byleth said, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She could have sworn she locked the door.

The woman didn’t seem to care, still looking around the shop. “What a tacky little hat shop.” She says, finally turning her gaze on Byleth, a smirk on a face. “But you are by far the tackiest thing here.”

Wow, rude. “Well…then you’re not obligated to buy anything. In fact, the shop is closed.” She said, walking past the intruder. “The door is here,” She pulled it opened and stepped aside, gesturing out it, “I would suggest you use it.”

“Standing up to the Witch of the Wastes? Well that’s plucky.”

“The wit-….fuck.”

There was a cruel laugh and then darkness. A cold shock went through her, and she fell to the floor shaking. She was breathing heavily as the bell above the door chimed again.

“The best thing about that spell is that you can’t tell anyone.” There was that laugh again. “Give my regards to Claude, will you~?

And the door slammed close, and the shop was quiet with the exception of Byleth’s heavy breathing.

After a moment she tried to stand and straightened up, only to be rewarded with a shooting pain up her back. She winced in pain, cursing softly. As she looked down at the floor she noticed something she hadn’t originally.

Her hands were all wrinkly and veiny. She frowned before she remembered what the witch had said. A spell.

“Oh no no no.” She rushed over as quickly as she could to the mirror.

The face that stared back at Byleth wasn’t her’s. Her face was aged, wrinkles and lines everywhere.

She stared at herself in the mirror before sighing and sinking down onto the floor.

“Fuck.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this! Remember to leave a comment and some kudos!! 
> 
> If you want to hit me up on tumblr my url is the-vampire-squid-from-hell.tumblr.com. 
> 
> Until next time! (^_^)v


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